Ties Required
by 1221bookworm
Summary: This Drabble is for the Royaiweek17 prompt Black Tie. Riza acts as mother hen to ensure the team puts their best foot forward when they arrive in Central.


And here's Day 2 of RoyaiWeek17. The prompt is "Black Tie". This turned out way long before then I expected. It is also more Team Mustang then Royai. I will have to work on that for the rest of the prompts. Hope you enjoy this quick piece, which includes Riza mother henning Team Mustang.

"It's black tie?" Havoc grimaced at the paper as if his scowl could erase the words.

"That's what we get for coming to Central." Breda replied glumly.

"Brace up." Colonel Mustang came out of the office, holding his own invitation. "This is supposed to be the perks of a job in Central. All the grand shindigs with the top brass."

"Well, at least we know there'll be plenty of food." Breda brightened a bit at that prospect.

"Sir, you could make the black tie but disappear with a little whoosh" Havoc mimed snapping his fingers, and the invitation going up in smoke, "then we get all the perks, food, pretty ladies, without going too crazy."

Hawkeye snorted from her position at the filing cabinet - her invitation had already been read and tucked away, and she was back at work. "Do you really think the ladies would go for someone who showed up to a black tie event in -"

"Uniform." Havoc interrupted. "Ladies always go for the man in uniform."

Hawkeye just rolled her eyes and returned to her filing, pointedly ignoring the rest of them.

As Havoc tried to convince Breda to go in uniform with him, Fuery scooted closer to Falman. "Do you know how to do a tie?" He kept his voice low, keeping their conversation private.

Falman gave a half shrug. "There's a fifty fifty chance it will come out right. You just have to play with it."

Trying to look casual, Fuery took off his glasses and wiped them on his shirt. "I've never done it myself before. My mom always did it for me."

Falman kept his eyes on his paperwork to avoid catching anyone's attention. "Meet me here half an hour before it starts. I'll do my best to help you."

Fuery visibly sighed in relief as he thanked Falman and returned to his own work.

Their quiet conversation had not gone completely unnoticed - Hawkeye was glad to see the older officer watching out for the younger man. She decided she might just take this hallway down to the party in case they needed any help.

Mustang, too, had seen the exchange, and his heart swelled with pride in his men. It might not quite be protecting each other's lives, but it would certainly protect Fuery from embarrassment. Now if only he could keep Havoc from embarrassing his commanding officer, he could consider this first foray into the politics in Central a success.

"Falman?" Fuery pushed the door open, his tie held in one hand. He was apparently there first, so he flicked on the office light, and made his way over to his desk, fiddling with his current project while he waited.

There was a knock at the door, and Fuery called a greeting without looking up from his work. Breda stuck his head in. "Fuery? Is that you?"

Fuery jumped from his seat. "Oh, hi Breda. I was just here a little early, and didn't want to, you know, get there before the Colonel."

"Good idea." Breda dropped into his own chair. "I was just curious if the Lieutenant had the Colonel here working to earn his time at the party."

Fuery chuckled. "Nope. Not this time. Maybe you should suggest it to her for the next one."

Falman arrived as they invented ways for the Lieutenant to get more work out Mustang.

Glancing at Breda, Fuery silently held his tie out to Falman, who wrapped it around his neck and started the knot.

"Glad I'm not the only one with a little trouble tonight." Breda held out his arm to show that the buttons on his dress shirt were undone. "Little buggers wouldn't work. Hoped there'd be someone around to give me a hand."

Before they could address the unruly buttons, Havoc and Mustang came into the room together. "I just have to get my gloves, I left them in my desk." Mustang was halfway across the room before he realized it was already full. He eyed his men. "Everything OK?

"Yes, Sir. We were just waiting for you to arrive, Sir." Fuery answered quickly, having prepared several stories to cover why they were hanging out in the office.

"Well, we can all go in together then."

"We'll be right behind you, Sir." Breda pulled a half sandwich out of his desk and unwrapped it. "I left this here from lunch and didn't want it to go bad."

Havoc rolled his eyes. "That's what the fridge is for." Breda ignored him and took a large bite.

The door opened again, and the final member of their team walked in. Hawkeye was wearing a classic little black dress, except that it covered her from neck to ankle. She was also wearing heals.

Havoc whistled. "We should have formal events more often."

Hawkeye cut off any further remarks with a stern glare, reminding all of them she was still a senior officer. She turned to Mustang. "Is there a problem, Sir?"

"No, Lieutenant. We're just collecting each other like pennies before we go in."

"Then I suggest we head to the party, we don't want to appear rude by arriving late." Turning to leave, she caught sight of Fuery's tie. It had a decidedly crooked twist that had the knot off centered.

She turned back to Mustang. "May I suggest, Sir, that we fall out for review before we disgrace ourselves, and Eastern Command?" Her tone suggested it was not really a question.

Mustang waved his hand to indicate his consent, and Hawkeye had them lined up for parade review in no time.

She gently scolded each as she moved down the line, straightening ties, brushing lint off shoulders, and flattening rogue hairs. She fixed Breda's sleeve buttons, and chastised Havoc for getting cigarette ashes on his jacket.

Inwardly, she smiled to herself as she noticed how hard each had tried, and remembering they were (mostly) bachelors, and didn't have anyone to do this for them.

This softened her words and her hands, until she was actually smiling at them when she was done. She turned to face their Commanding Officer, who had pulled them all together here in Central.

"We're ready for our official debut, Colonel Mustang, Sir."

Mustang smiled back, first at her, then at the men, still standing in a neat row. This was it. He had made it to Central with this group. They would be his team, and he would protect them, and they in turn would protect their own.

"Let's go."


End file.
